


Right In Front Of You (I've Been Here All Along)

by goddess_julie



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Friends to Lovers, Multi, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-13
Updated: 2013-11-13
Packaged: 2018-01-01 08:28:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1042598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goddess_julie/pseuds/goddess_julie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin has only known Arthur and his 'gang' for a short time, but from the minute he'd met them all he could see how much in love Morgana and Leon were.  He not only vows to show Arthur what he's been missing all these years, but to bring the two together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Right In Front Of You (I've Been Here All Along)

**Author's Note:**

> This was written as my Day 10 fic for Mini Nanowrimo on LJ. I'm doing 30 fics in 30 days in different fandoms.
> 
> It's Merthur but mostly Leon/Morgana because I truly do love these two together. I wanted to write a fic centred around them but then Merthur has to be there because <3 and yeah. This was what resulted.

The last place Arthur Pendragon expected to find love was at a Halloween party. He had gone dressed up as a medieval knight and was surprisingly drawn to a tall, lithe man wearing a purple robe, a pointy wizard hat and carrying around what he supposed was a crystal ball. The man’s name was Merlin and he had the most gorgeous blue eyes that Arthur had ever gotten lost in. The irony of their costumes were not lost on either of them and it had been deemed as fate from the Gods that King Arthur would meet his Merlin at a party thrown by mutual friends named Lancelot and Guinevere.

It had taken only an hour after their initial meeting for them to be locked up in the bathroom, half naked and whispering endearments and promises of more to last longer than the next few hours. Their relationship started hot and fast and continued throughout the winter, Christmas and New Years and although both felt it was still soon, they couldn’t help but wonder how they had gotten this far without one another.

They lay tangled in one another, the sweat still cooling on their naked bodies. Merlin’s chest was heaving, his body tingling from the feel of Arthur pressed against his back, his once hard cock pressed tightly against his thigh until they were able to go another few rounds. He thread his fingers with the blonde’s, bringing their hands to his lips to press a gentle kiss to his lover’s fingertips.

“Can I ask you a question?” Merlin asked softly. His lips curled into a smile as he felt Arthur press a kiss to his shoulder blade before nibbling playfully on the skin.

“Can I stop you?” Arthur responded, voice thick and sleepy.

“Prat,” Merlin chided with affection. He turned around, slotting their legs together and curling into Arthur’s embrace. “It’s obvious that Morgana and Leon are truly besotted with each other, why have they not done something about it and come together?”

Arthur was surprised by Merlin’s observation. “What are you talking about? Morgana and Leon?”

Merlin looked up at Arthur in shock. “What are YOU talking about?”

“Morgana and Leon aren’t interested in each other? She’s still broken up about Gwaine and Elena getting married and Leon … well I don’t know. He’s very private about his romantic entaglements.”

“He’s private because he’s in love with your sister and afraid you’ll take the piss out of him for it,” Merlin argued with a laugh. “How do you not see it? How does no one in your group of friends not see it?”

“Because you’re mad Merlin. Trust me, you’re imagining things.”

With a laugh, Merlin sat up and pinned Arthur down to the bed. “Please, do me a favour? Just watch. Watch Morgana, watch Leon and watch them together. I have never seen two people more in love…”

“Hey,” Arthur pouted. He stuck out his bottom lip childishly, which Merlin bit playfully. 

“Don’t be a prat, you know what I mean!”

Finally Arthur conceded. He would watch his sister and his best friend. He would show Merlin that he had no idea what he was talking about.

But one month later, Arthur wasn’t so sure of his initial assessment. They had all gotten together for Gwaine’s birthday party at their local pub. It had been rented out for the night and was filled to capacity with their friends, and friends of friends, and random people Gwaine had invited on his way over. He watched Morgana sitting with the birthday boy and his wife, noticing that while she sat close to the two of them, she watched them both fondly as they shared kisses and held hands. She gossiped with Elena as old friends would, and where Arthur would have previously assumed Morgana was befriending the other woman out of spite and anger, she seemed to genuinely adore Elena.

He also watched her face morph into that of pain when Leon arrived with Mithian, a friend of his from work who he had been speaking of with increasing frequency lately. Merlin broke into Arthur’s thoughts with a kiss to his jaw. “See?”

“One outing does not make a point Merlin,” Arthur sniped. Their eyes met causing both to laugh.

“Fine. You’ll see,” Merlin promised.

It was a week later, everyone was meeting up for happy hour after work for drinks when Arthur was able to continue his recon work. Leon had shown up to their outing alone, which had Morgana smiling much brighter than she had been before he arrived. Arthur watched as his best friend asked shyly if he could sit beside Morgana, to which she beamed and moved over to make room. He watched as the two started a comfortable conversation, neither looking at the other for too long but sitting closer than necessary considering the abundance of space around the table.

An hour and a few rounds later the door opened to allow Mithian and Merlin’s friend Percy entrance. Morgana’s eyes narrowed when she saw the other woman and Arthur heard her growl when she saw the grin on Leon’s face. Upon further observation, the table could see Mithian and Percy holding hands. Arthur’s eyes moved to his sister’s face to gauge her reaction, surprised when he saw her frown angrily.

Before anyone could say anything beyond hello Leon stood up and clapped Percy on the back in congratulations as Mithian walked over and sat with Gwen and Elena. 

“I take it everything went well?” Leon asked his friend. 

Percy only smiled and blushed, his eyes averting to Mithian who was beaming as she whispering enthusiastically with the girls. “Very well.”

At Arthur and Morgana’s questioning expressions Leon laughed. “The moment I met Percy I knew that he and Mithian would be perfect for each other. I kept trying to set them up but nothing was working out with their schedules.”

“You brought her to Gwaine’s to set her up with Percy?” Morgana asked icily, as though she was doubtful.

Leon looked at her in confusion. “Of course. Did you think she was… that we were?”

Morgana’s face morphed into a giant smile, her eyes softening and her cheeks turning a shade of pink. “That is so sweet Leon. You are such a romantic.”

Arthur watched in horror as his friend’s face turned pink, his lips curled into an embarrassed smile and he shrugged. “Well, I just thought that they would get on perfectly.”

“And right you were mate,” Percy said with a grin. “She is wonderful. We’ve spoken every day and it’s only been a week but I just can’t stop thinking about her…”

“I told you Arthur,” Merlin crowed affectionately. “Besotted. Both of them.”

Gwen’s voice startled both of them as she squeezed her face in between theirs with a giant grin. “And what are we going to do about that boys?”

“GUINEVERE?” Arthur yelped with a startled yelp. Both Gwen and Merlin began to laugh as the table stared at them in surprise at Arthur’s outburst.

“Seriously boys, I know Merlin’s noticed. And he must have told you, Arthur, about how hopelessly in love Morgana and Leon are. What are we going to do about it?”

“How about nothing?” Arthur said. “They’ll figure it out.”

Merlin and Gwen shared a pitying look between them as they shook their heads. 

“Gwen, how long has it been going on?” Merlin asked. “I mean, I saw it the night I met them at your party, and I can’t believe it was just starting.”

“Since ninth year,” Gwen responded. Arthur sat up at attention. “That long?”

“Are you joking with me Arthur Pendragon?” Gwen asked sternly. “Leon is your best friend. Morgana is your sister. How did you not know?”

“How did this turn around on me?” Arthur whined. “And what do you mean ninth year?”

Ignoring Arthur, Gwen focused her attention on Merlin. “Tomorrow, you and me, lunch. We are going to sit down and make a plan. This is going to happen, I hate seeing our best friends so miserable without each other.”

All three turned to watch Morgana and Leon engage in conversation with their friends, each watching the other when they weren’t paying attention. There were longing looks, sadness in their eyes and Arthur could feel the want, he could feel the love between them. So much that he wondered how he’d missed it for all these years. So much that he couldn’t understand how they couldn’t see it.

~~

The moment Merlin let himself into Arthur’s flat after his lunch with Gwen, Arthur pounced on him. “Two things,” he said kissing Merlin passionately.

Merlin melted bonelessly into Arthur’s arms, letting himself be ravaged hungrily. When they broke apart he grinned.

“Was that one? And is two where you bend me over the couch and fuck me stupid, because if it is, why are we talking about it and not doing it?”

Arthur paused for a moment and grinned. “Okay four things. Those are three and four. Let’s start getting naked now so when I’m done with one and two, we can get right into me fucking you.” Immediately, both men started to undress, racing to be the first one naked.

“One,” Arthur said as he kicked his jeans off and across the room. His eyes locked on Merlin’s cock, which was quickly hardening, and filling to a mouth watering erection. 

“My eyes are up here,” Merlin teased as he lifted Arthur’s jaw so they were eye to eye. He found himself engulfed in a hungry, passionate kiss. “Fuck Arthur…” Merlin moaned as he felt Arthur pick him up as if he weighed nothing. He was carried to the table where everything was shoved to the floor and Merlin found himself on his back, legs over Arthur’s shoulders in one smooth move.

“One,” Arthur repeated, “I want you to move in with me. Today. Tomorrow. NOW.” 

The hunger in the blonde’s eyes caused for Merlin’s whole body to react in goose bumps. 

“Okay,” Merlin answered without hesitation.

“Good. Two, I fucking love you. I love you for caring so much about my best friend and sister’s happiness. I love you for seeing it immediately and wanting to do something about it.” Arthur saw Merlin’s eyebrow furrow and he paused. His fingers had breached the other man’s hole, stretching him to accommodate his cock and they stilled, worry filling his eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“Leon is your best friend?” Merlin asked, voice soft, eyes filled with hurt.

“He will always be my best friend,” Arthur admitted. With a chuckle, he leaned down and kissed the hurt from Merlin’s face. His lips travelled up his jaw to his eyelids, across his forehead and down his nose to end on his lips. “You Merlin, are so much more. You are my everything. Best friend doesn’t even begin to explain what you are to me you silly little imp.”

Arthur watched Merlin’s eyes fill with tears. He leaned in to kiss those away, finally slotting their mouths together in a hungry kiss. It took him less than five seconds to reach across to the counter and grab the lube that had been stashed there earlier that morning and coat his erection and finally Merlin’s hole. As he pressed in firmly, Arthur whispered his adoration and love against Merlin’s throat.

“Never forget my love,” Arthur begged. “Never forget what you are to me.”

Merlin was so overwhelmed he couldn’t speak, his arms and legs hugging Arthur as close to his body as he could despite Arthur’s thrusting, their bodies moving apart before coming together hard and fast.

It was only a matter of time before both men came together, their hands joined, eyes locked and hearts racing. When they were curled up, still naked and sweaty on the couch, Merlin shared the plan he and Gwen had come up with over lunch.

“Are you sure it will work?” Arthur asked, drawing random patterns on Merlin’s chest with his fingertips.

“Of course,” Merlin responded confidently. It wasn’t so much a plan as just gentle prodding. 

“No games?” The thought of his sister and best friend feeling like they had been set up or tricked weighed heavily on him. He wanted to make them see how perfect they were for each other, not fool them into something they didn’t genuinely want.

Merlin gave an affectionate smile and kissed Arthur’s nose playfully. The plan would take place in a few weeks, when they all had a weekend off at the same time.

~~

Merlin and Gwen approached Morgana while Lancelot and Arthur had Leon. It was going to be a weekend getaway, just the six of them to one of the Pendragon Manors in the country side. They would drive up on the Friday morning and stay until late on the Monday for a four day weekend. Things had been very stressful for everyone lately with work and so forth and they all needed a weekend away.

“But, if it’s a couples’ get away,” Morgana had protested firmly, “I don’t see why Leon and I should be there to interrupt.”

“If it was ‘that’ kind of weekend,” “Gwen said with a grin, “I surely wouldn’t want Arthur and Merlin there.” 

“Hey,” Merlin said with an interested leer. “Why? What DO you and Lance get up to in the bedroom Gwen?”

“Ew, why do you even want to know Merlin?” Morgana cackled. “Pervert.”

“But seriously,” Gwen cackled mischeviously. “Please come Morgana. I haven’t had girl time with you in ages and I think it will be fun. The men can do men things and us three can…”

“Hey, I’m a man!” Merlin protested.

Both women raised an eyebrow before all three friends began to laugh together. 

“If Leon is okay with me crashing your weekend, then I’m in.”

“I sincerely doubt he will have a problem with you being there Morgana,” Merlin said softly. Their eyes met and so much was said between them. He took her hand and squeezed it affectionately. Before more could be said she squeezed his hand, pulled it away and changed the subject.

~~

“Clear your schedule for this weekend,” Arthur told Leon over a pint of beer after work on Tuesday. “We’re taking a weekend off, us three, Merlin, Gwen and Morgana.”

“When do we leave?” Leon asked downing the last of his pint.

“Friday morning. Back Monday,” Lancelot signaled for another round.

“Just us?”

Arthur and Lance nodded.

“And Morgana?”

Arthur and Lance exchanged a knowing glance before nodding.

“Great. I’m in.”

All three men nodded, clinking their pints of beer before turning their attention on to the football game playing in the pub.

“So what do we think of Man U’s chances this season?” Lance asked with a grin to Leon, knowing it would garner a response from Arthur.

“Fuck Man U,” the blonde spat. “Arsenal’s taking the whole god damn thing this year, I can feel it.”

~~

They reached the Pendragon house just after lunch on Friday, everyone excited for four days of quiet, no work and just relaxing with friends. Merlin and Arthur took the master bedroom while Lance and Gwen opted for one of the bedrooms near the back of the house. Leon and Morgana put their things in the only two bedrooms on the main floor off of the side of the family room. The two couples had taken bets while their friends were unpacking their things as to which room they would actually use that weekend.

After a late lunch and deciding what to make for dinner that night Arthur and Merlin informed their friends that they were going to take a walk on the property towards the lake. Lancelot and Gwen had declined their invitation to join stating that they were tired and were planning on taking a nap. Judging from the grins on their faces and the high blush on Gwen’s cheeks their friends doubted that much sleep would be had on their nap.

“Did you want to join Merlin and Arthur down at the lake?” Leon asked Morgana as she laced her hiking boots up. She gave a subtle shake of her head.

“I don’t care where you go,” Gwen yelled from the bedroom. “But we’re ten seconds away from napping. LOUDLY. So GET OUT IF YOU DON’T WANT TO HEAR IT!”

Lance’s laughter rang through the room which was followed by a high pitched squeal from Gwen.

Without thinking about it, Morgana grabbed Leon’s hand and pulled him from the house, their laughter echoing against the sounds of Gwen’s moans and Lance’s growls.

“There is this place I used to go to when I was younger,” Morgana admitted. “I would go there to think, or just be by myself for a bit. I thought I would go and see it, it’s been years since I’ve been back.”

Leon’s face fell. He figured he could still catch up with Merlin and Arthur, but doubted they wanted a third wheel. They had seemed very excited for some time alone. “Okay, I’ll just..”

“You are welcome to join me Leon,” Morgana said softly. “I would love to show it to you. If you wanted, of course.”

Leon nodded as he gave Morgana a smile. “I would love to see it. With you.”

They walked through the vast fields in near silence, enjoying the nature around them and pointing out things to one another as they made their way to Morgana’s clearing. When they arrived, Leon’s breath came short at the beauty of the land and the view.

“My problems always seemed so small in comparison,” Morgana admitted quietly as they looked over the cliffs to the vast beyond. She sat down and motioned for Leon to join her. 

“It’s beautiful,” Leon agreed. Morgana turned to look at her companion, surprised to see him looking at her, an expression of wonder and awe in his eyes. Her eyes noticed a leaf in his shaggy hair and she smiled, reaching up to remove it.

His breath caught at the same time hers did, their eyes locked and time seemed to stand still. There was a slight chill in the air, but that was only part of the cause of the shiver that travelled up and down her whole body.

“Here,” Leon’s voice was husky as he pulled Morgana to sit in the vee of his legs. She settled herself against his chest, unable to stop herself from melting completely into his embrace. “You’re cold.”

“Not really,” she admitted. A fresh wave of goose bumps covered her skin as Morgana felt Leon lean down and press his face into the dip of her shoulder, resting his forehead against her throat. She thread her fingers with his as his hands rest protectively around her waist. Ignoring the fluttering in her stomach and the way her heart was racing, Morgana fought not to react how she always had, with protests and an attempt to guard her heart. This was what she wanted, what she had always wanted and if Leon was going to offer it, she was too weak to decline.

“Morgana,” Leon moaned into her throat, his whole body on edge. “I can’t fight it anymore. I don’t even want to try.”

“Please,” she pleaded, turning her head so that her nose brushed against his forehead. He pulled away just a fraction, they were mere inches apart. She withdrew one hand from his and reached over to cup his cheek, stroking his bearded skin affectionately. Their eyes met and years of questions, uncertainty and love filled the space between them.

“I love you Morgana Le Fay-Pendragon,” Leon admitted gruffly. 

“I hate every girl you’ve brought to meet us,” Morgana responded. “I have wanted to set fire to each one of them, pull out every single hair on their head and then drown them in the deepest oceans.” She couldn’t help but blush at the smile that graced his lips. 

“I love you,” Leon repeated softly as he leaned in to gently press their mouths together in a sweet kiss. He felt Morgana gasp against his mouth and used that to his advantage by parting his lips and tracing hers with his tongue lightly. A sense of calm, of everything settling around them filled him as he felt her react, her own mouth opening to allow him entrance and her arms tightening on him to hold him close.

“I have always loved you Leon,” Morgana admitted openly when they parted, her own face cupped lovingly in Leon’s hands. They spent the afternoon whispering softly to one another in between stolen kisses and bouts of silence, simply watching the beauty around them.

As they walked back to the house, hand and hand Morgana stopped suddenly. “You realize this was their plan right?”

Leon smiled adoringly at Morgana. “From the moment they suggested it.”

“And you still came along?” She asked, there was a hint of vulnerability in her voice. Her question caused for Leon to pull her close and kiss her tenderly.

“It’s WHY I came along Morgana,” he admitted firmly. With gentle fingers, he stroked her hair and cupped her face. “I have loved you for so long and, well it was time for me to do something about it. I needed to know because being without you was killing me.”

Before she could answer, Arthur’s voice called to them from the front porch of the house. “Hurry the fuck up, we’re hungry and Gwen won’t let us eat until we’re all here.”

“Arthur Pendragon,” Gwen’s voice called from inside the house. “You’d better let them alone or you won’t be eating anything this weekend.” Moments later Arthur was joined on the porch by Merlin, Gwen and Lancelot, all four of them with grins on their faces. Merlin and Gwen rushed down the stairs with their arms open wide and immediately pulled Morgana into a celebratory hug. Much to the embarrassment of Leon, Arthur and Lance, the three of them began to jump up and down, giggling and squealing.

“You do realize Merlin,” Arthur said after he gave Leon a firm handshake and a typical one armed ‘bro’ hug. “You are not a girl.”

“I don’t know,” Lance gave a teasing laugh. “You do make him scream like one sometimes.”

Merlin turned quickly, his eyes assessing his boyfriend and friend. “Oh. Is that how it is?” He threatened as both friends laughed playfully. Merlin approached Lancelot and gave a wicked smile.

“Challenge on.” He looked at Arthur and his grin turned filthy. “We’ll see who is screaming like a girl tonight Arthur.”

Merlin had Gwen’s hand clasped in one hand, Morgana’s in the other as the three walked into the house together, leaving their men behind to watch them in wonder. 

Arthur turned to Lance and gave a slightly panicked grin. “I don’t know whether to thank you or slap you,” he admitted with a sigh.

Leon shook his head and rubbed his face. “I know which I should do,” he said as they entered the house. “Thank god our room is on the other side of the house.”

“Our room?” Arthur and Lance said in unison. Both grinned at their friend and wiggled their eyebrows suggestively.

“I haven’t waited this long to have her sleeping in a bed in the room next to me all weekend,” Leon admitted. “Your sister or not Arthur, I will be claiming her tonight.”

“Step-sister,” Arthur complained as he stuck his fingers in his ears petulantly. “I don’t want to hear about this.”

“If she lets you,” Lancelot warned with a grin. They all startled when Morgana appeared in the doorway, stretched invitingly with her eyes trained on Leon hungrily. 

“Oh, your chances are very good Leon,” Morgana promised. “Now come in here and eat so we can turn in early.”

Arthur found himself pushed roughly out of Leon’s way as he hurried into the kitchen to take his seat at the table. Grumbling, he entered the kitchen to see his friends seated, waiting on him. As he took his seat he felt Merlin’s foot kick at his playfully.

“Scream. Like. A. Girl.” Mouthed Merlin teasingly, punctuated with a wink.

Arthur felt his groin tighten and he sat up straight. “What are we waiting for, let’s eat.”

 

Finis


End file.
